Every new arrival wants to know if they can survive or live well in Thailand on X thousand baht a month?
It's a difficult question because each person has different needs. However, the following surveys and figures are from teachers actually working here! How much do they earn and what do they spend their money on?. And after each case study, I've added comments of my own.
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Rebecca
Working in Chiang Mai (well, just outside)
Monthly Earnings 50,000
Q1. How is that income broken down? (full-time salary, private students, on-line teaching, extra work, etc)
I earn around 38,000 baht from my full-time job at a private bilingual school in Chiang Mai, where I teach young learners Monday to Friday. On the side, I make about 7,000 baht a month tutoring a couple of private students in the evenings, usually charging 500 baht per session. I also pick up a bit of online teaching through a freelance platform, which brings in roughly another 5,000 baht depending on how many sessions I do. It’s a manageable mix that gives me a steady income and a bit of variety as well.
Q2. How much money can you save each month?
Most months I manage to save around 10,000 to 12,000 baht, sometimes a bit more if I’m careful.
Q3. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
I pay 6,500 baht a month for a small but modern studio apartment just outside Chiang Mai’s Old City. It’s in a low-rise condo-style building - nothing fancy, but it’s clean, safe, and has air-con, a little balcony, and even communal washing machines on the ground floor. It’s walking distance to my school and a night market, so it’s super convenient. I looked at more stylish condos with a pool and gym, but honestly, this place suits my needs and helps me save.
Q4. What do you spend a month on the following things?
Transportation
I spend about 1,200 to 1,500 baht per month on transportation. I don’t own a motorbike, so I mostly get around on my bicycle, which was a secondhand steal for 1,500 baht. I occasionally take a Grab taxi or use the red songthaews (shared pickup trucks) if I’m going somewhere far or it’s raining. If I had a motorbike, fuel and maintenance would probably cost about the same, maybe a bit less, but I prefer not having to deal with the risks.
Utility bills
On average, I spend about 1,200 to 1,700 baht per month on utilities. Electricity is the biggest cost, usually ranging from 800 to 1,500 baht, depending on how often I use the air-con. During the hot season, it's on most nights and sometimes during the day on weekends. Water and Wi-Fi are included in my rent, which helps a lot, and I top up my mobile data plan for around 400 baht a month. I try to be energy-conscious, but realistically, the air-con is non-negotiable for at least a few months of the year in Chiang Mai.
Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping
I typically spend around 8,000 to 10,000 baht per month on food, which includes both eating out and supermarket shopping. For supermarket shopping, I usually spend about 3,000 to 4,000 baht a month. I buy basics like rice, vegetables, fruit, and some imported snacks or ingredients for cooking. I cook at home most of the time, especially for breakfast and dinner, and occasionally pick up something easy for lunch. For eating out, I eat at local places for lunch, where a meal can be as cheap as 50–70 baht, and treat myself to a café or Western-style restaurant maybe once or twice a week, which can run 150–300 baht per meal. If I’m in the mood for something fancy, it can be more, but I’m pretty good at keeping it affordable.
Nightlife and drinking
I’m not big on nightlife, so I keep my spending here pretty low - around 6,000 baht per month. I’ll go out for drinks with friends several times a month, usually at a local bar or pub. A beer is about 50–80 baht, and cocktails can range from 150 to 250 baht, depending on the place. If I do go out, I prefer places with a laid-back vibe, not full-on party spots. I might also grab a few drinks at home occasionally, but overall, nightlife doesn’t take up much of my budget.
Books, computers
I don’t spend much on books or computers, but there are occasional splurges. On average, I’d say I spend around 500 baht per month on books. I mostly buy ebooks or secondhand paperbacks, which are cheap in Chiang Mai’s secondhand bookstores or online. As for computers, I haven’t bought anything major recently since my laptop still works fine. Overall, my budget for books and tech stays fairly modest, but I like to keep a couple of interesting reads on hand for any downtime.
Q5. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
I live comfortably on a modest budget, enjoying a simple, laid-back lifestyle with occasional treats, plenty of local experiences, and enough flexibility to travel or indulge when I feel like it.
Q6. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
No surprises really. Street food is a great deal. Traditional Thai massages for as little as 150 baht. I'm even more appreciative of these after a friend told me how much Thai massages now cost in the UK. Rent is also very affordable compared to back home. Local markets, like Warorot, offer secondhand books, clothes, and household items at great prices, and you can haggle for even better deals.
Q7. 50,000 baht is not a bad income for Chiang Mai though is it?
No, 50,000 baht is not bad for Chiang Mai. It’s above average for many teachers working here I would say. 50K allows for a comfortable lifestyle, with room for saving, occasional travel, and enjoying the social scene. While it’s not a huge amount by international standards, Chiang Mai’s relatively low cost of living means you can live well on that income, especially if you keep things simple and don’t go overboard with expensive habits.
Q8. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
At least 25,000 to 30,000 baht in my opinion. This would cover the basics like rent (for a modest apartment or shared accommodation), utilities, food, and transportation. If you’re sharing a place or living in a budget studio, the rent might be as low as 6,000 baht (what I pay). If you cook at home most of the time and avoid expensive nights out, you could get by on a tight budget with that amount. However, for a more comfortable lifestyle, including occasional socializing, some savings, and a bit of leisure, I’d recommend earning around 40,000 to 50,000 baht. That gives you more flexibility to enjoy life up here without constantly counting the pennies.
Phil's analysis and comment
I think 50,000 baht a month is a pretty decent income for Chiang Mai. It's a city that could cost you a lot of money but you budget well, Rebecca and it doesn't sound like you miss out on that much really. It feels like you have a lifestyle you're very satisfied with.
Mark
Working in Bangkok
Monthly Earnings 108,000
Q1. How is that income broken down? (full-time salary, private students, on-line teaching, extra work, etc)
108K is my full-time salary after tax at an average run-of-the-mill international school. I get health insurance, flight home at the end of the contract and a bonus.
Q2. How much money can you save each month?
Typically I save around 40-60K a month, depending on how much I travel. I enjoy taking weekend breaks out of the city.
Q3. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
I pay 21,000 baht a month for a one-bedroom apartment in a central area close to the BTS. It has decent facilities that I use frequently. I can exercise without the need for paying for an extra gym membership.
Q4. What do you spend a month on the following things?
Transportation
I contemplated getting my own bike but it is also convenient to just get a bike taxi to and from work everyday. I probably spend up to 2,000 baht a month on this. On weekends I travel around the city, so I spend more getting buses or sometimes a taxi.
Utility bills
I like to have the AC on when I’m home but my bill rarely exceeds 3,000 baht. My water bill is less than 100 baht a month and I pay 700 baht for high speed Wi-Fi.
Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping
I like to eat well in both restaurants and by buying good local produce, but not excessively - so I probably spend up to 20,000 baht a month. This includes going out with my girlfriend.
Nightlife and drinking
I meet up with friends once or twice a week but I don’t drink a lot so I’ll max this out at maybe 2,500 baht a month.
Books, computers
I listen to audio books on Audible which doesn’t cost much each month.
Q5. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
Overall I think I have a terrific standard of living compared to back home in the UK. If I really want to or need to save some money each month, I can save up to 60,000 baht, which is much better than I was doing at home, while also still having a good standard of living and lifestyle. I have been here for three years now and I can certainly see myself being here for longer.
Q6. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
I think food is great here. You can choose to eat in expensive places but eating cheaply doesn’t mean the food is a downgrade. I also think domestic travel can be a real bargain. Trains in the UK are horrendously overpriced and I enjoy how affordable trains, buses and mini vans can be here.
Q7. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
When I first arrived, I worked at a bilingual school paying me 60,000 baht a month and I also managed to live a good lifestyle on this amount, even managing to save 10-15K baht in the months when I didn’t travel. Now that my salary has almost doubled, my savings potential has increased but I have tried to still live within my means. I think if you want to come here and still experience food, nightlife and travel, then I would say 50,000 baht would be my minimum for Bangkok.
Phil's analysis and comment
Thanks you Mark. 108K is always going to give you a decent standard of living in Bangkok, but it's obvious that Mark doesn't fritter away cash unnecessarily, and stashing away 40-60K a month must be building up a seriously nice nest egg. Mark's salary might have doubled over the three years he's been in Bangkok, but his spending hasn't. He keeps his outgoings well within his means - and that's what it's all about.
Lauren
Working in Bangkok
Monthly Earnings 39,835
Q1. How is that income broken down? (full-time salary, private students, on-line teaching, extra work, etc)
I am a full-time English teacher in a secondary school in a mini English program. The 39,835 includes social security health insurance that I am only allowed to use at one hospital. I actually only get paid 10.5 months as the summers in April and half of May aren't paid.
Q2. How much money can you save each month?
Honestly, I am not able to save much or invest anything for retirement.
Q3. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
I live in a condo and pay 10,000 baht per month in rent.
Q4. What do you spend a month on the following things?
Transportation
I live close to the BTS and my school is close to the BTS so I usually spend around 1,500 baht per month.
Utility bills
Around 1,000 baht per month
Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping
This is my biggest expense and comes out at around 15,000-20,000.
Nightlife and drinking
I don't really go out at night or drink.
Books, computers
I have a free library app from home and I bought my MacBook back in 2019. I probably spend around 1,000 baht per year on books at the book store.
Q5. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
I live comfortably but don't have peace of mind for the future.
Q6. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
Buying foods from local markets that are farther away from the city center, hair blow outs and massages.
Q7. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
It really varies on what you eat, how much you want to travel, and where in Bangkok you want to live. In order to live comfortably and save for a rainy day, at least 60,000 baht per month. If you live far from the city center and can shop at markets for local food and not shop or travel often, maybe 25,000 baht per month.
Phil's analysis and comment
Lauren, I think it would be tough for any foreign teacher, regardless of nationality, to survive in Bangkok nowadays on a 40K salary, but 15-20K a month on food! What!?! That's 500-600 baht a day! I eat extremely well and don't spend even half that amount of money. I'd love you to have dived deeper into that sub-section. Admittedly I only eat out once a week, preferring to cook mostly at home... but even so. By my reckoning, more than three quarters of your monthly paycheck goes on food and a roof over your head. No wonder it's a bit of a struggle.
David
Working in Pathum Thani, near Bangkok
Monthly Earnings 65,000
Q1. How is that income broken down? (full-time salary, private students, on-line teaching, extra work, etc)
I work at a low-tier international school (one of those schools that just has the word 'international' in the name but doesn't really follow a UK or US curriculum) My take-home salary is around 65,000 and I get good health insurance plus decent school lunches. No housing allowance though, even though the teachers have pushed for it.
Q2. How much money can you save each month?
Usually in the region of 10-15,000 baht a month. I just don't think it's possible to live in Bangkok on less than 50K a month, even if you're fairly frugal and avoid the obvious money traps.
Q3. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
I have a lovely one-bedroom condo that I rent for 15,000 baht a month. I think one of the best pieces of advice I got from Ajarn was 'never skimp on accommodation' and it's absolutely true. If you've got a place that you enjoy coming back to each evening and don't mind spending much of your time there, you don't have the temptation to wander the streets and spend money. I really love my time spent alone in the apartment.
Q4. What do you spend a month on the following things?
Transportation
I live quite a distance from the mass transit lines (too far to walk anyway) but I'm lucky inasmuch as I can catch an air-con bus to work each morning and the journey is barely 10-15 minutes even in heavy traffic. I think even with catching the odd taxi at the weekend, transportation costs me barely a thousand baht.
Utility bills
Electricity and water come to around 5,000 baht (the air-con is blasting away from the moment I walk in the door to the moment I leave)
Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping
I totally avoid expensive deliveries and eating at western joints. If I fancy a taste of home, I'll cook it myself in my little kitchen area. I eat a mix of western food and Thai food, one night it might be something over rice (which I will usually buy on the street) and the following night it could be beans and toast. I bet my monthly food bill doesn't break 5,000 baht. The free lunches at school are of a very good quality and I see this as my main meal of the day.
Nightlife and drinking
This is almost a zero for me. My only foreign friends are the people I work with. I see enough of them during the day thanks! I loved the nightlife during the first couple of years I lived in Bangkok, but it got boring after that. Going out and getting drunk several nights a week can be a seriously expensive hobby.
Books, computers
I'm something of a TV addict so I subscribe to all the usual suspects like Netflix. It's about 1,500 baht a month for all my streaming services. The school supplies me with an old laptop and not really a technology guy anyway.
Q5. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
It's a lifestyle that suits me down to the ground. I enjoy my work and I enjoy my time spent at home, but I'll go travelling somewhere in Thailand once every couple of months to break up the routine. Honestly, it sure beats the 9-5 existence that I had in dreary Oxford, and coming home to an icy cold flat in the depths of Winter. I wonder how many peeps are thinking the same thing these days and planning a move to Thailand?
Q6. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
Food brought off the street. 50-60 baht can still get you a very decent meal here.
Q7. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
I think you could probably 'survive' on 35-40K in Bangkok - and considerably less in the rural towns. In Bangkok, it would certainly mean spending less than 10K on your living environment though, and I'm not sure I would want to do that.
Phil's analysis and comment
I like David's insights. He highlights the importance of paying for comfortable accommodation but being mindful of expenses. He also acknowledges that while some teachers manage on salaries of around 30,000 baht, this often involves sacrifices in housing quality and lifestyle. David's numbers show that a comfortable lifestyle in the Bangkok area is achievable on a salary of 65,000 baht, with perhaps a little budgeting and keeping track of your expenses. And as you say Dave, it sure beats a back-street bedsit in Oxford in the middle of Winter.
Scott
Working in Bangkok
Monthly Earnings 227,500
Q1. How is that income broken down? (full-time salary, private students, on-line teaching, extra work, etc)
I work full-time at a large international school in Bangkok. The school has been open less than a decade but has grown considerably over the past few years and is positioned at the upper end of the international school market in the city.
In addition to a salary of 175,000 baht, I get a housing allowance of 53,000 baht. Additional benefits include worldwide medical cover, annual flights, provident fund, two free schools places for children, and a yearly bonus. Flights, health insurance and visas are also given to dependents free of charge. However I do not have children, only a partner.
My take home pay after tax and housing is around 145,000.
I also have a small apartment in the UK which is tenanted and brings in a small income that covers any UK costs such as mortgage, factor fees, insurance and miscellaneous items. This brings in a other £700 but only a small amount is left after insurance, mortgage and factoring fees.
Q2. How much money can you save each month?
I am able to save between 95K and 110K per month and most of this is sent to the UK, where interest on accounts is considerably better than in Thailand.
Q3. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
The property is covered by my housing allowance. I live in central Bangkok close to BTS Thonglor. I have lived in the property for four years and the landlord has not increased the rent in that period. It is a fantastic deal, with similar properties nearby going for around 65,000 per month. The property is in an older building but the unit and communal areas of the building were all renovated five years ago. It is 150SQM with two bedrooms, two bathrooms as well as a western kitchen and two balconies.
Q4. What do you spend a month on the following things?
Transportation
Very little. I have an old scooter that I use for work and costs barely 500 baht a month in fuel. I spend another 1,600 baht a month on taxis and the BTS.
Utility bills
Electricity - 2,200 per month
Internet & SIM - 500 per month
Netflix - 220 per month
Spotify - 139 per month
Water - 90 per month
All of these are a fraction of what I was paying when I lived in the UK. I have now been in Thailand for seven years.
Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping
I usually eat at home from Monday to Thursday and then eat out the rest of the week. Supermarket shopping comes to around 5,000 baht and you can add another 16K for restaurant bills. I enjoy eating out with my partner and friends and there are so many fantastic restaurants in the city that you are never short of options.
Nightlife and drinking
Mid-week is usually very quiet due to long working hours and the general workload. However, I enjoy a beer, particularly sitting outside and enjoying the weather as well. I don't drink in the house as I enjoy the social aspect of meeting friends. I would say this comes to around 8,000 baht per month.
Books, computers
Very little as I am not gamer, but I do have a laptop for work. I usually buy a few books a month from Dasa Books or the Nelson Hays Library. We have a library at school which has around 30,000 books and is updated each week so there is always lots to read.
Q5. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
Fantastic! There are very few cities in the world that are as vibrant and exciting as Bangkok. I am able to visit a different country when school holidays come around, and explore many parts of the world. Although working at the top tier international schools is hard work, the benefits outweigh the negatives.
Q6. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
Bangkok is no longer a 'cheap' city but there aren't many of those left in the developed world. However, there are still some bargains to be had compared to Western Europe, Oceania and North America.
Services are very cheap here such as mechanics, repairs. Transport is very affordable in Bangkok for those on expat salaries, but those on the lower scale of the local workforce would be unlikely to agree with this. The BTS is a great service but is not cheap if you are not earning a great deal.
Local food is very affordable, even at restaurants. Most alcoholic drinks are affordable as long as you do not frequent the hi-so bars. Bars such as O'Sheas, Laughing Tiger, Old English, Jack's, The Fox and Hemmingways all offer reasonably priced drinks.
Q7. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
If you are only looking at Bangkok, I would say that a single person could live on 40,000 a month and have a reasonable life and a decent small apartment. A couple would likely need around 60,000 and a family would certainly need a minimum of 80K. Outside of Bangkok, this could be reduced significantly unless you are living in Phuket, Pattaya or Samui.
Phil's analysis and comment
A lot of people don't believe what well-qualified teachers earn at the higher end of the international school spectrum, so it's always good to get a survey now and again. It must be a great life living in Bangkok on that sort of coin. I've nothing really to add.
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